Learn to Love Again
by CrystalShardz
Summary: Love is distorted in the eyes of a halfa, whose slowly becoming the monster he's always feared. Sam Manson turns out to be exactly what he wants. And needs. Sam's been running from something her entire life, but in order to help Danny, she must come to terms with an irresistible attraction and a crippling fear to understand that even the darkest of souls are worth fighting for. DxS
1. Chapter 1

_Lyrics by Pink - Give Me A Reason_

* * *

_"Hey, are you..."_

_"...okay."_

_"You're going to be okay."_

* * *

Learn to Love Again

By CrystalShardz

_~Right from the start_

_You were a thief_

_You stole my heart_

_And I, your willing victim~_

"You woke up outside again?"

Danny shut his locker closed, greeted by the wary face of his best friend, Tucker. The African flashed a look of disapproval, but Danny merely smiled when the tech wiz pushed a pair of ray-bans up the bridge of his nose.

"Relax," Danny said, waving off Tucker's paranoia. His sneakers squeaked against the tile floor when he turned. "I was out for like two minutes. No one even saw me."

"Dude, that's the least of your problems!" Tucker looked suspiciously at the gossiping teens around them and whispered, "If these 'moments' keep happening, you're gonna have to tell your parents."

"Mom," Danny corrected, shooting him a dark look. "Tell my _mom_."

Tucker stopped, adjusting the strap on his backpack. He watched as his friend's demeanor quickly shifted. "Hey, I didn't mean it like that."

Danny took a sharp breath, meeting several different pairs of eyes. Everyone stared curiously at him and Tucker, before returning to their own conversations. "I know you didn't. I'm just not in a good mood."

"Are you ever?" There was a playfulness to Tucker's words that made the boy smile. "There's no moping around, dude. It's senior year. We're finally at the top of the food chain!"

"I'm guessing the lack of Dash Baxter put you in a good mood."

"Hey, we all know how it's going to work out. He might have that sports scholarship now, but in twenty years that ape is going to be working for me." He jerked a thumb to himself. "It's only a matter of time before I discover the cure for cancer, make my millions and buy that mansion I always wanted."

"And where do you see me in this alternate universe of yours?"

"You'll be right beside me, bud. I'll need someone to dust off my medals when I'm out partying."

"Gee, thanks."

Tucker laughed as they walked down the hall. Danny shrugged off Tucker's joke when a freshman ran into him.

"Oh! Sorry!" The small kid apologized, fidgeting with the backpack in his arms.

Danny's hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of the defenseless freshman's button up shirt. In a moment, Danny shoved him into the lockers so the crash rung in his ears. The metal shuddered against the force of Danny's hit and he smiled when the boy's head snapped back, blood tainting the gray paint.

A hand came to his shoulder and Danny flinched.

"Hey, Danny," Tucker whispered, tightening the hold on his friend's shoulder. "Dude, are you okay? You look white."

Blinking, Danny's eyes landed on the freshman boy passing them, walking without a giant gash in the back of his head. Tucker glanced over his shoulder in confusion.

Danny held a hand to his face, the world coming in and out of focus. He clenched his jaw before turning to Tucker.

"Sorry."

"You're apologizing for daydreaming?" Tucker chuckled, fixing the red beret on his head. "If I had to apologize every time I imagined Paulina in a bikini, I wouldn't have time to feel sorry about anything else."

"If you apologized to Paulina for that, she'd probably get a restraining order on you."

"Hey!"

Danny forced out a laugh as they walked into third period English. That's where he spotted her. She silently gathered her books to the back of the class, taking a seat in a secluded corner of the room. Despite the fact that she stood out like a raven in a sea of doves, she was doing a fantastic job at being invisible.

"Hey." Danny cut off whatever Tucker was going on about. "I'll catch up with you later."

"What do you mean?" Tucker whined. "We're in the same class."

Danny ignored the comment and strolled to the back of the classroom, taking a seat beside the quiet goth. Violet eyes connected with his and she immediately glared at his presence.

_First time speaking to her. Don't screw it up._

He grinned, folding his arms over the back of the chair. "It's a little hot to be wearing a turtle neck, don't you think?"

She pursed her lips, raising the eyebrow that was pierced. "And you of all people have the right to tell me what to wear?"

No one had that right, Danny figured. Judging by her limited choice of black, green and purple, it was clear the teen girl was trying to make a statement. Her face held as much attitude as her clothes: heavy eyeliner, purple lip stick, the eyebrow piercing. Her hair was short and raven, cut uneven so one side was longer than the other.

"Are you going to keep staring at me or can I go on the rest of the day without the added testosterone?"

Danny smiled, despite the hostility she was giving him, and reached for the collar of her shirt. She lifted her hand in order to catch his wrist, stopping him.

"What are you doing?"

Her hand looked small and weak against his wrist, and yet there was something firm about her grasp that he couldn't shake. "Helping you out?" He played it off with a smile. Instead of pulling at the turtle neck, he merely brushed a piece of lint away from her raven locks. "Are you hiding something, Sam?"

Her eyes narrowed and she released his hand. "How do you know my name?"

But the bell rang and Danny simply bowed his head in response, standing and making his way to his original seat.

* * *

_Stupid question._

Sam mentally face palmed herself as Danny Fenton made his way up the row of desks to sit beside Tucker Foley, best friend and tech wiz of the school. Of course he knew her name. Everyone knew everyone at Casper High, no matter where you were located on the popularity ladder. The school system was designed to associate the same kids since birth together. It didn't exactly prepare them for the real world, but who was Sam to judge small-town educational standards?

Knowing this, most students chose to stay away from her, calling her the Manson girl or goth freak. It was a lot better than her old nickname, _Black Kid_, which had been both offense and racist to the core, but that statement didn't work. Sam Manson was pale, a pure American born European, so the name eventually died down, especially after word spread to the principal.

Jocks she could handle. Attention whores she could ignore. Mr. Lancer she could tune out, but Danny Fenton was another story.

He was infamous.

While Danny wasn't the star athlete, he was notorious for skipping school and getting into fights. He had a temper problem often taken out on the jocks. Still, the fact that he beat up anyone made Sam frown. He was a bad boy and obviously the fan girls came with that title. Girls had even admitted that he had gotten cuter over the years, developing a body women swooned over.

She studied him now; shoulder blades peeking slightly through the back of his shirt; tousled black hair only overpowered by cold, blue eyes; developed abs that showed whenever he lifted his arms in order to stretch. The white tee clung to his form and the jeans, faded, appeared casual enough to be considered effortless.

Not exactly the look she was expecting from a rebel with anger issues. It seemed like everyone was trying so hard to fit in. She pulled her shirt closely, knowing she stood out like a needle in a haystack. She was sweating in the winter outfit as the kids around her sported T-shirts and shorts. Well, that wasn't true. Goths didn't sweat. They simmered.

Even though Danny was the strongest guy on campus (according to the football team, who were still tending to injuries from the last fight) he didn't look tough at all. He sat perfectly straight in his seat, his eyes scanning left and right, waiting. Someone without fear shouldn't have to keep looking over their shoulder.

For a moment, she felt sympathy for this monster. Everyone was so afraid of him, but maybe, in reality, he was the one hiding in fear.

"I hope you all had a wonderful winter break," Mr. Lancer announced from the front of the classroom, shrugging out of a tan trench coat, "because we're starting the new semester with a paper."

The students in the room groaned. Danny kicked the basket under his desk so the metal shook and Sam was able to see the bottom of his shoe. Remains of dried dirt rested against the white of his soles.

She was probably reading into it too much, but for a moment her thoughts flashed to the forest. She imagined Fenton dragging a body into the woods and burying it deep in the damp earth.

* * *

Tucker and Danny sat in the cafeteria, each with red plastic lunch trays. Tucker happily bit into his sub, ignoring the mystery meat he was putting in his mouth. Danny merely stared, blank faced, at his sandwich.

"_Hey, ah you gonna eaf tha_?" Tucker asked, his mouth full. He pointed at his friend's lunch, spewing meat as he spoke.

Danny smiled sadly, shaking his head. "Nah. You can have it."

Tucker gratefully, but suspiciously, grabbed Danny's meal. He swallowed before speaking again. "What's up with you, man? You haven't been hungry for a while."

"...Hungry?"

"Yeah, you know that thing we used to do together before you turned into the hulk." He motioned to his scrawny arms and flexed.

Danny frowned. "Stop."

"What? Telling you that you're ripped?" He flashed the blue eyed boy a metal smile. "Because if I had muscles like you, I would-"

"_Tucker._" His voice rang with so much venom that the techno geek stopped talking. Danny sighed and picked at a random crack in the tabletop.

"So...what happened in English today?"

He glanced up at Tucker. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you were talking to a girl, which hardly ever happens, and she's not even your type. Remember when you liked Paulina? She'd probably go out with you if you showed interest."

Danny shook his head. "I'm not interested."

"Not even in the goth chick?"

"No."

He stuffed some fries in his mouth, suddenly thoughtful. "You haven't been on a date since Valerie..."

The words hung in the air. Danny tensed and looked to the side where curious bystanders stared. Swiftly, he brought his gaze to his lap. His hands were shaking.

"It won't happen again," Tucker added quickly, but his voice faltered at the end.

Danny met his gaze again and smiled. "You have ketchup on you face."

"Huh?" Tucker wiped his hand against his cheek then the other side. "This reminds me of when I pretended to have a noise bleed to get out of gym class. It worked great until Mr. Stevens caught the ketchup packs."

Danny's eyes widened at the red substance on his best friend's hand. His seat scraped against the tile when he stood. "I have to go."

"It's the middle of lunch, dude." Tucker finally found a napkin, wiping his face clean. "Where are you gonna go?"

But Danny was already five paces out the door.

* * *

Amity Park was the kind of place that was hot 24/7. Even as New Years past, the weather remained a steady seventy-five and was slowly creeping higher. What Sam would have given for even one snowflake.

Still, she found it wasn't all that bad, especially for her garden. In the backyard was the greenhouse her parents had built for her when they missed her eighth birthday. Sam had spent the day with Frowny the clown and Ms. Gretchen, the hired maid at the time. Surprisingly, it was one of her better memories.

She slipped on her gardening boots and tended to the flowerbeds in front of the house, before heading out back. Sunlight reflected off the glass of the green house, creating a crystal sheen. Inside, it was a good eighty degrees. Perfect weather for a desert snake.

Sam began watering each plant with careful consideration, wearing a pair of ear-buds to keep her occupied. She turned up the volume so the music eventually hurt her ears, throbbing with every beat of the song. Sam welcomed the pain. Closing her eyes, she was lost in her own world, disconnected from others.

She made her way towards the back and sneezed, pulling at her loose tank-top when she shivered. She was cold...cold? It shouldn't be cold in the greenhouse. Sam rubbed her arms in confusion, staring at her surroundings.

And suddenly it was gone. The cold breeze left and was replaced by the sticky temperature of the room. Sam took a deep breath, mentally checking over her daily to-do list. Had she taken her meds?

She jumped at the sudden tapping on the glass, turning to the maid. _Samantha._ The woman mouthed, gesturing she come forward.

Sam closed the entrance door, giving the thin woman a polite smile. "Yes?"

"Your parents sent you a letter." She held the white envelope to her. "They asked me to bring it to you personally."

Sam hesitated, staring at her outstretched hand. She glared down at the paper. "That's all right. I can read it later-"

"They specifically asked you read it the moment I gave it to you."

With hesitation, Sam grabbed the envelope. She opened up the note and read the first word.

_SORRY_-

The paper crumpled in her hand. The maid flinched. "Is something the matter?"

"That will be all."

"But Samantha, your parents insisted-"

"That will be all," Sam said in a harsher tone.

The maid shifted slightly, keeping her gaze on the ground. "Of course." She nodded and quickly retreated back into the house, eager to get away from the goth's dark gaze.


	2. AN

This page was originally chapter two until I decided to combine it with chapter one. The reason I'm keeping this page up is to keep the reviews. So please continue on to the next chapter and ignore this blank space.

CrystalShardz


	3. Chapter 2

_Lyrics By Vanessa Hudgens - Afraid_

* * *

_YOUR FATHER AND I HAVE AN IMPORTANT MEETING TO ATTEND IN BOSTON. WE WILL BE GONE FOR TWO WEEKS. A MAID WILL BE THERE TO CHECK ON YOU. CALL HER IF YOU NEED ANYTHING._

_SINCERELY,_  
_MOTHER AND FATHER_

_It didn't escape Sam that they never signed their letters with love. The cold message was printed in blocky letters, most likely written by someone at the office. Taped to the bottom of the note was a credit card._

_Sam crumpled the paper and dumped it in the trashcan, walking into her room and grabbing the closest sketchbook. She sketched for hours, ignoring the silence her room had to offer. Without much success, Sam attempted to drive the loneliness out of her own troubled heart._

* * *

_~Now I wonder what you think of me_

_Don't know why I break so easily_

_All my fears are armed surrounding me_

_I can't get no sleep~_

Sam had just been on her way to the library when she spotted the crowd of teenagers. She wasn't the type to conform, but the sudden excitement on a Monday morning was too tempting to ignore. She shuffled her way through bodies until she saw five figures within the circle of people.

She could barely see him. The football players all had a good few inches on him and yet he still managed to send every guy to the floor. Danny wrestled every one of them to the ground, barely breaking a sweat. Instead of cheering, the student body watched with impressed eyes.

Danny took a deep breath once the fight was over, meeting the fearful eyes around him. They all turned away, some even scrambling to run in the opposite direction. When his eyes landed on the silent goth, he was surprised to see she held his gaze. There was a strange emotion in her eyes, or maybe it was a lack of one, that made the muscles in his body tense.

"Get to class or you'll all be tardy!" An impatient Mr. Lancer broke through the sea of kids, entering the circle. He looked down at the beaten boys, then the one standing above them. "Fenton? _Grapes of Wrath_, what happened?"

It was Sam's cue to leave. She turned on her heel and continued to head for the library. Ever since their little exchange last week, they hadn't spoken. Danny once again remained an icon in the back of her mind. Only when she chanced a look in his direction did she sometimes catch him glancing back at her.

He was so strange. She detested him for being a bully, though his main targets were rather out of the ordinary. Sam frowned, realizing he was probably putting on a show to remind everyone who the toughest guy in school was. Boys were so territorial when it came to their massive egos.

Still, after sharing an entire school career with him, why would he suddenly take an interest in her? And over something as trivial as a sweater? She rubbed the collar of her turtle neck between her fingers, thankful the weather had decided to cool for the time being.

Instead of the library, Sam found herself in the nurse's office approaching the front desk. She greeted the old woman with a look of fierce determination.

"Do you know anything about cold chills?"

* * *

She was surprised to find Danny waiting beside her book bag when she walked into English. She eyed his figure suspiciously. He was casually sitting in the desk next to hers, legs outstretched and elbows resting behind him on the table top. His head was tossed back, angled toward the ceiling with his eyes shut. He looked the picture of ease, yet she couldn't mistake the tense way he carried himself.

She walked up behind him, taking a seat at her desk. "What are you doing?"

"Sitting."

She rolled her eyes, surprised, for the second time today, that her bag was open. Several pill bottles peeked through the opening and she hurried to zip it shut.

When she glanced back at Danny, he raised an eyebrow. "Nervous?"

Her eyes narrowed. "Being nervous implies that I have something to hide."

"Do you?"

Sam chose not to answer.

"We all have our secrets." His blue eyes danced with dark humor. "Three minutes is a long time to spend in the bathroom, you know."

"Fenton, you should be in the Dean's office," Mr. Lancer said from the front of the classroom, stopping whatever retort Sam was about to fire back.

"I know." His answer was simple and without sarcasm. Like their first encounter, Danny merely smiled and bobbed his head to Sam. Then he stood up, grabbed the black bag beside his desk and carried it over one shoulder on his way out, leaving everyone in the room mystified.

* * *

The elderly man had lost track of how many times Danny Fenton had been in his office. He took off his glasses and rubbed his wrinkled face with one hand, swooping it back so his palm brushed over his bald spot.

"When I first heard the name Fenton, I thought you may have been Jasmine's younger brother."

Danny knew exactly who he was talking about. He knew a lot about a girl who merely shared the same last name as him. She had attended Casper High four years ago, was in AP and honor roll classes, valedictorian of the school. Her picture was in the display case revealing a girl with long orange hair and blue eyes. All his teachers had asked the same question and received the same answer.

"I'm an only child."

"I know that." He put his seventies styled glasses back on his face. "By the looks of your grades and behavior, you've made your relation apparent." The man frowned. "But even if you were related to Jasmine, that wouldn't change the fact that you were fighting."

Danny kept his eyes on the window, watching a bird build its nest.

"I don't think you're a bad kid, Danny. I've met troublemakers, but you don't strike me as one." He scribbled something down on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "I'll need you to have this signed by your parents-"

"_Mom_," Danny corrected sharply and the man physically flinched at his tone.

"-Your mother and return it tomorrow, but instead of detention you will serve two weeks of community service everyday after school."

Danny took the note and shoved it in his bag, standing.

"We've given you too many passes, Danny. Make the mistake again and you'll be expelled."

* * *

Danny had one hand shoved in the pocket of his jeans, the other holding the strap of his backpack. Silently he walked down the neighborhood, making his way home. He had only been held after school for an hour and then released. The sun was still up, beating against the nape of his neck.

The sound of a hiss and then cursing made him angle his head toward the side. Sam Manson was positioned a few feet away from him, trying her best to get the mouse trap off a cat's tail. The feline wasn't having it though. It bared its teeth and hissed, swiping whenever Sam reached out her hand.

"That's dangerous," Danny murmured. Sam stiffened and turned.

"What do you-Hey!" She turned back as the cat made a swift escape, jumping onto a ledge before disappearing. "Thanks a lot!" She gave Danny a harsh look. "I've been trying to help him for weeks."

Danny stared at the spot where the cat disappeared. "Why bother? He obviously doesn't want your help."

"He _needs _my help, despite what he might like to think." She crossed her arms stubbornly. This seemed like a big topic for her, though he didn't understand the significance of a single stray cat.

"Why do you care though?" Danny asked, determined to get his answer. "Why would you even attempt to help him when all he's caused you is pain?" He gestured down to her arms, which were now covered with red scratches. Sam crossed her arms, but he still caught the movement in her face when she winced.

"I'm not just going to stand by idly and watch him suffer." Her face had softened and she looked down, hair falling over her face. A breeze traveled between them, moving her bangs so her face showed for an instant before disappearing behind the curtain of hair once more. "Ignoring a person in need is worse than simply hurting him."

Danny watched her with wide eyes. Everything about Sam seemed to oppose authority; the dark clothes; the harsh makeup; the pierced eyebrow. And yet, here she was extending more kindness than even the nicest of people.

"Sometimes a lost cause isn't worth the effort," he admitted at last. He didn't mean to say that, but something about her got under his skin. He wasn't quite sure yet whether this was good or bad. He hoped it wasn't the latter.

Sam raised her violet eyes, challenging his statement. "I beg to differ."


	4. Chapter 3

_Lyrics by Demi Lovato - Heart Attack_

* * *

_A low growl hummed from under his bed. The young boy sat on top, clutching his injured arm. His heart hammered as he looked from side to side, wishing his parents were home._

_In a moment of confusion, the boy ran out the room, but the shadow continued to lurk behind him. The light shun brightly in the distance, distorting his view._

_Heavy breathing followed him into the next room. He locked the door, searching for some place to hide. His eyes caught the mirror briefly only to find the reflection smiling wickedly._

_Monsters don't always hide under your bed. Sometimes they wait soundly inside your head._

* * *

_~The feelings I lost in my lungs_

_They're burning_

_I'd rather be nu__mb_

_And there's no one else to blame_

_So instead I'll take off in a run_

_I'm flying too close to the sun_

_And I'll burst into flames_

"You know, most kids have a car at this age." The slightly curious and fully irritated goth looked back at her stalker, who silently followed along. He had his backpack slung over one shoulder, his shirt wrinkled in the front as if he had been squeezing the life out of the fabric.

The boy gave her a friendly smile. "Where's yours then?"

"I'm not a fan of destroying the ozone layer."

"Or vegetable oil?"

The tiniest of a smile came to her lips. When she saw his delighted expression though, she scowled. "What are you doing? Stalking me?"

He chuckled. "I just got out of the Dean's office. They sent me home."

Sam blinked. "You live around here?"

"It's kind of hard to miss."

"What do you mean?"

He was taken aback by this. She really didn't know? "There's a giant sign coming out of the roof. Not exactly subtle." He grinned. "Who's the stalker now?"

Sam blushed at that statement, but he was sure it was out of anger rather than embarrassment. Still, the expression only made him more curious; made him want to know what provoked it.

"I'm not the one following other people around." She stopped, turning to face him, but she caught onto an orange neon sign hanging above the building beside them. _Fenton Works_ flashed in bold letters.

Danny chuckled at her puzzled face. "Again, who's the stalker?"

She pressed her purple lips together. "Okay, fine. Maybe you weren't following me." Her cheeks flushed that delicious red again. "But you are the one who spoke first."

Under his breath, Sam could barely make out the, "Are you sure?"

They stood awkwardly outside Danny's ridiculous looking house. Small talk had never been the goth's strong suit-she ignored social gatherings altogether. She had never understood people –boys in general– and she suddenly found herself at a loss for words.

Before her mind could wander, Danny managed to capture her attention once again. "Now that you know where I live," he gave her a suggestive smirk, "shouldn't you tell me your address?"

Danny saw the familiar glint of distrust flash in those violet eyes. "The last thing I want to worry about is a teenage boy sneaking into my room in the middle of the night." She was on the defense again, and yet he got the feeling this was Sam at her most comfortable.

"You're not really the romantic type, are you?" he teased.

"Let's just say my past February's have been filled with singles awareness days."

So she was single. For some reason the fact made the boy grin like an idiot.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" Sam seemed genuinely confused by his smile. Danny shook his head, chuckling.

He stretched his arm out as if to touch her. Sam froze -a full on "deer in headlights" response- watching as his arm drew closer. His fingers brushed against her purple scarf and she gasped.

Sam backed away. "I have to go," she mumbled, making a run for it.

* * *

By the time she shut the front door and turned the lock, she expected to find the raven haired delinquent right behind her, but Danny had thankfully been absent throughout her entire sprint home. Still, she was extra cautious locking all the windows and setting the security system. She was overreacting and she knew it.

Sam passed her bedroom and stumbled into the bathroom, feeling faint. Swiftly she grabbed one of the pill bottles marked on the sink and swallowed, chasing it down with water. Then she put her hands on the sink, leaning forward. Pale skin glistened under the fluorescent lights. She wiped her hand on her forehead, taking a deep breath.

He rubbed her the wrong way. He knew things he shouldn't have been able to guess. Why did it have to be him though? Of all people, why?

Sam started unwinding the scarf, placing it on a nearby hook. She flinched when she caught sight of her reflection.

Blue and black marks covered her neck in the shape of hands. She touched the warm skin with her hand and sighed. It still looked horrible. At least the pain killers were finally kicking in.

Sam was careful not to move her neck as she walked to her bedroom, crawling into bed. She rested her head against the pillow and closed her eyes, waiting for the medicine to send her back into oblivion.

* * *

Enjoying her quiet weekend uninterrupted, Sam was more than thankful to find Danny Fenton absent on Monday. Whatever the reason, she needed a few minutes to herself. Ever since Danny came into her life, Sam found herself hyper-aware; constantly checking to make sure she was hidden. He exposed her weak spots like a spotlight, and Sam had never done well in the hot seat.

The school day had ended rather blandly and by the time she slipped on her green jumpsuit she was smiling. Everyone appeared at the lot; the team equipped with gloves, construction hats, and a belt of tools. Between them was the foundations of a house.

"Sam!" The project leader waved her over with the largest smile she had even seen on a man. He was dressed in a green jumpsuit, the standard uniform for volunteer work. "Great news! I need you to take in a young pupil today."

She raised an eyebrow. "Social interaction isn't my strong suit."

Tom shrugged. "But he's closer to your age. I'm sure you'll get along better."

"Is it another troublemaker?"

Tom laughed uncomfortably. "You do work better with the violent cases."

"No, I know self-defense. That's why I don't take crap from anyone." She stared at her boss's pleading eyes. "You should do the same, Tom."

"Learning self defense or not taking crap from people?"

"I'd say both, but I doubt that's in your capability."

Tom laughed, scratching away at a receding hairline. "You are adorable, Sam; my girl." He hugged the goth who was full on ignoring him at this point.

She didn't return the hug, nor did she feel comfortable receiving it. "I'd be insulted if you weren't gay."

"So when are you bringing around a nice boy?" He raised a suggestive eyebrow. "Or maybe a nice girl?"

She punched him in the jaw.

Tom staggered back, holding his injured chin. "Christ! I thought you supported gays."

"I didn't punch you because you suggested I was a lesbian," Sam barked. "I punched you because you were making ludicrous assumptions about me."

Tom laughed. "Now that you're in a good mood, why don't I bring that kid in?"

"Seriously? You're really _that_ scared?"

Tom handed her a bat shaped clipboard with today's agenda. Leaning over, he whispered, "He has an even bigger reputation than you, Miss Manson."

Tom moved to another group of volunteer workers and Sam was greeted by none other than Danny Fenton dressed in a navy blue jumpsuit. He smiled when he caught her gaze. "Hey-"

"Where's you're hat?"

She hadn't even reacted to his presence. Danny blinked, somewhat disappointed. "My what?"

"Jim! I need another hat!" She screamed over the buzzing machines. A burly man came over and handed her the yellow cap.

"Do I need a waiver for this?" Danny joked, examining the plastic material.

Sam brushed his statement aside. "The last thing you want is for someone to drop something two stories down and give you a concussion." She stood on the balls of her feet, reaching over to put the cap on his head. She smiled. "Yellows not really your color, but it'll work."

She was close enough to see the full effect of her eyes. Danny swallowed at the force of her smile and tried his hardest not to blush. Sam's attitude was unusually motherly, both strict and kind at the same time. He wondered if it had anything to do with the control she had in this setting.

He leaned his head down until their foreheads were practically touching. Sam cleared her throat and back away. "You weren't in school today."

Danny smiled. "Did you miss me?"

"On the contrary, I loved the solitude. What I want to know is why you'd ditch calculus, but show up to make houses for the homeless."

He shrugged. "Doing my fair share of community service?"

"Does the school no longer give delinquents detention or are you just bored?" She scribbled on her clipboard, not even sparing him a glance.

Danny blinked. "You think I'm a delinquent?" He grinned. "You must not know me very well."

"Let's keep it that way." Sam sighed, too tired to argue. She glanced over her bat shaped clipboard. "I need you to work with Kwan."

"That's not a good idea," Danny stated, leaning over slightly. "I just beat up the football team last week, remember?"

She frowned. "Gregor is-"

"Seeking revenge after I _stole_ his girlfriend." He made air quotes on the word stole.

"Then Quin over there-"

"Is about to run away."

Sam glanced over her shoulder when Quin met Danny's eyes. The basketball player was at least four inches taller than Danny, but even then he dropped his tools and made a dash for the exit.

She didn't even bother facing him when she asked, "By any chance, is there anyone you_ haven't_ beat up?"

"Yeah. That guy." He gestured back to the boss, who flinched. "But give me till lunch. I'll probably find something to fight over."

Her black chipped nails dug into the clipboard. "And you claim you're_ not_ a delinquent?" Sam growled, throwing her hands in the air. "You've been in a fight with every guy in town! And not just that, you provoke it. You're no better than-" She stopped herself, feeling the anger bubble like a soda bottle, ready to explode when that cap popped off. "What...What do you have to prove?" She demanded, caught up in her own anger and burning curiosity.

The wind howled between them, throwing Sam's raven hair all over the place. Danny's voice was low and hoarse when he said, "I have to show them I'm not weak."

"By hurting innocent people?"

His eyes darkened. "If you want power, you have to take it without any fear."

There was that word again. Fear. Why had she even tacked that word to him that first day? Danny was probably the last person to show any sort of fear. He looked for trouble and laughed when he found it. "Fear of what?" She was seething, but a part of her still ached to know.

"The consequences."

The words made her snap. Sam turned. "Do whatever you want," she hissed over the tool machines. "You seem to do that best, anyway."

* * *

_*I do not own the quote - Monsters don't sleep under your bed. They sleep inside your head* I merely tweaked the wording for this story.*_


	5. Chapter 4

___Lyrics by Rihanna - Stay_

* * *

_Sam stood at the top of the stairs; scissors in one hand, a chunk of hair in the other. Her parents blew up at the scene, arguing over what a disgrace she was, what a horrible thing she'd done, and a lot of other words the seven year old couldn't comprehend._

_But as the young child stood expressionless on the staircase with the furious adults yelling at her, she could only think one thing._

_They're finally paying attention to me._

* * *

_~Funny, you're the broken one_

_but I'm the only one who needed_

_saving_

_Cause when you never_

_see the lights_

_It's hard to know which one of us is_

_caving~_

Sam did her best not to stare at the delinquent across the way or at least be caught doing so. For some reason, he always managed to feel her eyes on him. He'd turn around and smile, which made Sam frown and roll her eyes in disgust. They continued this routine for quite some time.

"Find something you like?"

Tom appeared behind her, giving Sam a goofy grin.

"If you're talking about that ape over there, no."

"Ah, I see. This is one of those love hate relationships. There's a lot of sexual tension, huh?"

She nearly paled at the thought. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"It's like my TV show-"

"You watch _way_ too much TV, Tom."

"-The main characters loathe each other, but eventually are forced to work together and that anger bubbles into hot, steamy s-"

"Dash! You're late!" Sam screamed across the lot, effectively cutting Tom off.

"Sorry, I was held back." The jock glanced over his shoulder to glare at Fenton, accepting the construction hat from Sam with a sigh.

"Dash, I don't want any trouble," Sam hissed, catching where his gaze was directed to.

"Whatever," the boy mumbled, putting his hat on and walking toward Kwan.

Tom raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. This is the part where jock and delinquent get into a fight and you realize you've cared about him all along."

"Wrong," Sam sighed, checking over the foundation blue prints. "Danny got into a fight last week. It wasn't exactly earth shattering."

"But it did make you feel something, right?"

"Irritation." She turned around to glare at him. "Shouldn't you be working? You have an area full of testosterone and you don't think one of these morons is going to get in a fight?"

"Oh, I believe that all right. I'm waiting for the drama to enfold."

"Why exactly are you in this kind of business again?"

"The economy, Sammy. Now be a good girl and check on the new kid. I'd hate to interrupt the longing stares you have going on."

Sam glared, but glanced at Danny only to find him frowning at them.

Tom let out a nervous laugh. "He doesn't like me much, huh?"

"He doesn't like anyone." Sam rolled her eyes and approached the boy. "Stop glaring at everyone," she demanded when Danny looked up. "If you get in any fights, the house will be destroyed."

"I might lighten up," he smirked, "if I get some incentive."

She crossed her arms. "What do you want?"

The moment she said it she regretted it. Tom was right. Maybe Danny did have some crazy obsession with her and planned to use every moment trying to get in her pants.

He looked thoughtful, reaching his hand toward her. "Hmm...I want..." She nearly turned red as his touched her chin with his finger. "This scarf."

Sam blinked, feeling as Danny's hand moved down and tugged at the purple scarf around her neck. She clenched her jaw.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Danny asked. "It's not much. And I'm cold." He fake shivered in the seventy degree weather. Nobody could possibly be cold on a day like today.

"Forget it," Sam growled, stomping away.

* * *

"If you don't stop following me, I'm going to file a restraining order." She spent no time glancing back at the delinquent. And it wasn't like the last time she thought he was stalking her. His house was in the opposite direction.

"At least let me walk you home," he exclaimed with an unusually bright smile.

"You're a little cheery for a delinquent, don't you think?"

"I told you. I'm not a delinquent."

"Beating people up is just a hobby of yours, huh?"

"You could say that."

Sam raised an eyebrow at him and shook her head, too tired to deal with his nonsense. "I'm not about to lead you to my house." She stopped in her tracks. Had Danny not been paying attention, he probably would have ran into her.

"So you plan to stand here with me all night?"

"Could you _be_ anymore cocky?"

She turned to him to glare with striking violet eyes. Sam took in those baby blue eyes and raven hair, wondering why his appearance was so innocent, when his attitude was the exact opposite.

Danny's mouth opened as if he were about to speak, but instead a cloud of cold air escaped his lips. Bird like claws gripped Sam's sides and before she knew it she was whisked into the air by a giant green creature. The scream stuck in her throat as the ground went farther and farther away from her. Wind engulfed her body as glowing feathered wings flapped in the night sky. She struggled to think straight, between what was happening and what she was going to do.

Milliseconds later, a green beam of light shot passed her. The bird cried out and the hold on Sam loosened until eventually she slipped. She couldn't scream. She couldn't cry. The ground was hurtling toward her impossibly fast, the speed sucking the air out of her.

Something else clasped her waist. For a moment Sam wished she had hit the cement. It probably would have been a less painful death compared to what this bird wanted to do, but when she chanced a glance up she was surprised to find nothing there. An invisible force carried her into the night, hovering only a few feet above the ground before dropping her. Before she could utter a sound, a door opened.

"Miss Manson, are you alright?" Her weekend maid asked from the doorway.

Sam gasped, holding her sides. "I...I'm home?"

"My God, you're white! Come inside." She grabbed Sam by the forearm, dragging the delirious teen into the mansion.

* * *

_Great, just great. Try to do one nice act and end up screwing it up._

Danny remained invisible as he flew away from Sam's mansion; not that he was supposed to know where she lived. She was probably wondering how an invisible force knew where her house was, let alone drop her on the doorstep. She was probably in shock over the life threatening experience. He had put her in danger and for what? His curiosity?

He mentally beat himself up the entire way home, changing before entering his home. Upon walking in his mother frowned. "Danny, where have you been? Vlad's been worried-"

Danny clutched his stomach just before falling to his knees. He gripped his shirt in agony until eventually everything turned into darkness.


	6. Chapter 5

_Lyrics by Phillip Phillips - Home_

* * *

_"Danny, I want you to meet someone important. He's here to help financially with the project Mommy and Daddy were working on."_

_The eight year old boy stared at the tall, lanky man before him and then his flustered mother. "What does that mean?"_

_With practiced patience, the man patted the remains of a cigar into their rundown staircase. "It means your broke, poor, in-dept. Simply put, you need help and only I can give it to you." He squatted so they were eye level. "Vlad Masters," he introduced. "It's nice to finally meet you, Daniel."_

* * *

_~Settle down_

_It'll all be clear_

_Don't pay no mind to the demons_

_They fill you with fear_

_The trouble_

_It might drag you down_

_If you get lost_

_You can always be found_

_Just know you're not alone_

_'Cause I'm going to make this place your home~_

The next day, Sam impatiently tapped her number two pencil as she stared at the classroom door. After hours of mewling over things, she decided Danny deserved an explanation. After all, she had been whisked away by some giant bird and he had no way of knowing where she was, let alone if she was alive. Groaning, Sam realized he'd probably called the police or the fire department on her whereabouts and sent a swat team to school.

But this morning had been rather unexciting as Sam ran to Mr. Lancer's English class. Maybe Danny hadn't said anything. He _was_ a delinquent. With a sinking heart, Sam realized Danny wasn't even in school today.

Was he out looking for her? Did something happen? Maybe the bird was upset when it lost Sam and decided to eat Danny instead? Thoughts ran wild in her mind. Maybe she should go to Fenton Works and check on him-

A face appeared in front of her, making Sam jump. The boy adjusted the red beret on his head with careful consideration, scrutinizing her face behind thick ray-bans. "You're Sam, right?"

"You're Tucker. Danny's friend." She let out a breath. "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't he be?"

Did Danny tell his best friend? By the look on his face, she imagined he didn't. Tucker took a seat in the desk in front of her, crossing his arms over the back of the chair. "Relax. Danny ditches a lot." He waved his hand dismissively with a PDA in grasp. "He's probably at the Nasty Burger or something."

She was still for a few moments. Then all the theories she made spun wildly in her head, only now she felt stupid. Of course he didn't call the police. Danny didn't really care about her, so why was she obsessing over this guy? It wasn't her business.

Sam shook her head. "Idiot," she said under her breath. She looked back at Tucker, realizing this was their first conversation. "Why are you friends with him?" she asked. "No offense, but you seem like the type to get beat up by Danny."

Tucker laughed. "Danny's not the guy you think he is. Not by a long shot."

* * *

She was a total hypocrite.

Sam silently followed Tucker as he made his way to Fenton Works. She hadn't been following him from the beginning. She didn't think Tucker would be going to Danny's, but halfway through the journey she realized they were walking in the same direction. From that point on she made sure to be extra careful he didn't notice her.

And now she had officially taken on the title stalker. Just like Danny said. Ugh, she could picture that condescending smirk of his as he teased her relentlessly, but something Tucker said struck her. There were a lot of odd facts about Danny that didn't fit his image. She wanted answers, and she was going to get them.

But standing outside in a nearby bush didn't get her very far. She couldn't tell if Danny was alright. Tucker left a few minutes later and she debated going inside as she paced on their front porch. The door opened though and a tall, stick like man opened it, frowning.

"Can I help you?" His voice sounded the exact opposite of helpful.

"I...um..."

"Oh, you must be one of Danny's friends." A friendly woman appeared at his side. She was dressed in a teal colored jumpsuit. "Would you like to come in?"

With no clear objective, Sam simply nodded. The woman led her into the living room despite the man's protests. "Maddie, are you sure that's best?"

"Of course. I've been waiting for the day Danny brought home a girl." She smiled at Sam. Sam was too tongue tied to correct the woman's statement.

The man sighed. "Very well. I'll be in the lab if you need me."

Lab? Sam raised an eyebrow as he made his way downstairs. They had a lab in their house?

Maddie brought Sam cookies and juice from the kitchen. "So, what's your name?"

"Sam. It's short for Samantha."

"That's a beautiful name." From her tone, Sam figured anything she said to Maddie would be considered "beautiful," but unlike her mother, who annoyed Sam with her constant cheery attitude, Maddie's kindness felt genuine.

"Oh, where are my manners? Can I take your coat?" Sam shrugged out of her jacket. When Maddie held her hand out for the scraf, Sam shook her head.

"Its, uh, more of a fashion statement," she lied.

"I see."

Sam stared as Maddie went over to the closet and hung her coat. Her hand shook as she picked up a cookie. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." Maddie shut the closet door, taking a seat across from Sam.

"Is Danny home?"

Maddie paled, though Sam couldn't figure out why. The woman cleared her throat. "My son is always out. Why do you ask?"

"I'm worried about him." Surprisingly, it didn't come out sarcastically. Sam was honestly concerned, and she wouldn't feel better until she knew Danny wasn't some bird's late dinner. "Please don't tell him I was here. I...don't want to seem worried." _Don't want him to get the wrong idea, _Sam corrected herself bitterly.

"Sam..." Maddie sighed, shaking her head. She watched her carefully before mumbling, "Come with me."

She walked up a narrow staircase, taking Sam to some room down the hall. From the subtle change in color, Sam could tell this part of the house had been added in addition to the original structure. They continued until Maddie came to a door, opening it with a key-card.

Inside the room were machines of all sorts. Blinding light came from overhead and a mess of white covered every inch of space. In the center was an unconscious Danny lying on a hospital bed.

Sam ran over, gripping the railings of the hospital bed. "Is he okay?"

Maddie walked calmly over. "Its alright. This happens a lot." She took a seat at her son's side, squeezing his hand. "Ever since Danny's father died he's been having seizures. Sometimes he slips into comas." Her voice turned raspy.

Sam shook her head in disbelief. Danny couldn't be sick. He couldn't. "Why isn't he at a hospital? Shouldn't there be a doctor watching over him?" She had a flashback of getting a cold when she was younger. Her parents hadn't been there, but several doctors had been in her room observing her. With an expression of annoyance, they recommended chicken noodle soup.

"Danny has a very serious case. We've been working on-" Maddie stopped herself, realizing she had said too much. "Look, no one can know about Danny's condition, Sam."

"Why?"

"Vlad fears people would begin to accuse us for his current state. That's why he's here. We deal with Neuroscience. We might be able to help Danny, but not if people know what we're doing."

Horrified, Sam uttered, "So you're using him as a guinea pig?"

"Heavens no." It was Maddie's turn to be horrified. "We love Danny. We'd never put him in danger. I will personally test out any solution before giving it to my son."

She had never met any parent willing to sacrifice their life for their child. Sam looked down at the sleeping Danny. "I'm sorry," she murmured.

"It's alright." Maddie smiled. "I'm glad he gets another visitor for a change. Vlad's been working so hard in the lab, and we won't allow Tucker in here."

"Why did you let me see him then? I'm no one."

"Oh, I'd hardly say that." Maddie laughed. "I've just met you and I know you're honest, caring and brave." Sam blushed at the compliments, not sure how to take them. "I also know you genuinely care about him."

Sam looked to the side. "You don't know that."

"I do." Sam turned to the woman's knowing smile. "It's hard to resist a woman in love."


	7. Chapter 6

_____Lyrics by Pink - Give __Me A Reason_

* * *

_The woman in the lab coat walked back into the room, unsmiling. The warmth she had extended to the seventeen year old was gone as she dropped a manila folder on the counter between them._

_"I hope you know this is very serious, Miss Manson."_

_"I know. That's why I'm here."_

_The doctor blinked, surprised Sam had the strength to speak. The blue bruises around her neck made it look painful to whisper, and yet she had managed an entire sentence with what looked like ease._

_"I get a lot of clients who refuse to talk." The woman took a seat on the stool across from Sam; the chair scraping against tile as she scooted closer. "But they think their boyfriends will hit them again."_

_"I don't have a boyfriend."_

_"Then who is doing this to you?" The doctor demanded. "I've seen everything, Sam. Not just those new marks on your neck. Your entire body has scars and healed tissue. Who is doing this?"_

_With a smile, Sam asked, "Would you believe me if I said myself?"_

* * *

_~I let you see the parts of me_

_that weren't all that pretty_

_And with every touch_

_you fixed them~_

By the time Danny came back to school, Sam had already visited him four times. She mainly came after school to check on him. She and Maddie had made a friendly relationship in which Maddie would bring dinner on a tray for her. Sam remained at his side, either reading a novel or sketching in her notebook for hours at a time. She didn't realize how much she was paying attention to the delinquent until she subconsciously drew his sleeping face.

In English class, Sam watched Danny as he wore the same dull expression everyone in the room had. To give him credit, he was staring in Mr. Lancer's direction with one hand supporting his chin. Sam knew she was becoming overly obsessed with him, but now he confused her more than ever. When Danny lifted his arm to stretch, she could see scars all along his wrists.

_"He has scars?" Sam had asked Maddie on one of her daily visits._

_"Every time Danny is in a weak state, we've had to hook him up to an IV. It isn't easy to find a vein the first try." Maddie stared at her son's wrists and almost teared._

"Miss Manson, would you stop day dreaming and answer this question?"

Danny met her eyes for a fraction of a second before she was able to stare at the frowning overweight teacher. "I'm sorry," she whispered as the kids around her snickered.

She had thought up several scenarios of Danny waking up to her face, in which Sam had a couple hundred excuses in return before he could even question her. Still, it always ended with him being furious or ashamed and casting her away for good. For some reason she couldn't stand the thought. As much as she hated the delinquent, his story had touched her heart, though she had yet to accept Maddie's statement of her being a woman in love.

But now Danny was awake and she missed sitting at his side. The peace she felt staring at his sleeping face was gone and she had spent the past few nights restless in bed. How crazy was it that she felt more comfortable when he was out cold? It was a little sadistic, even for a goth.

The bell rang and Sam stood from her seat, slightly disappointed. A hand caught her arm when she made it to the door. Danny's face was expressionless. "Hey, I need to talk to you."

Sam glanced down the hallway. "I have class."

"So ditch."

She glared at him. "Unlike some people, I care about my education." She jerked her hand out of his grasp.

Instead of escaping, Danny caught Sam's wrist and squeezed until the goth winced in pain. He pulled her closer, his demeanor completely different. "This is serious," he said in a threatening tone. "We need to talk."

"Fenton, a word?" Mr. Lancer asked from behind him, arms crossed. A nerve in Danny's jaw twitched as he released Sam and turned toward his teacher.

Mr. Lancer checked Sam's awestruck face. "You're free to go, Miss Manson." In amazement, she realized he had just saved her. Sam ducked her head in a silent thank you and walked away.

* * *

Sam Manson was dressed in a tight pair of pajama shorts and purple zip up sweater when there was a knock on the door. She put down her sketch book and stood up, checking the clock. It was six. The maid wasn't due until eight.

The doorbell rang again and she sighed, climbing out of bed to the door. Once she was at the door she checked the peephole, gasping.

"Sam?"

She didn't answer. She merely stood at the barrier between them, keeping the strange boy at bay. Her throat constricted as she struggled to speak.

"I know you're there. Open up." Silence. "You're not going to make me scale up to the window, are you?"

She could almost see the joking smile plastered across his face. Sam put her hand on the knob, but didn't turn it.

"I thought you weren't the stalker type." She yelled. Outside, she could make out faint laughter.

"Give me a chance to explain?"

"You seemed pretty angry this morning." She leaned her back against the door. "Are you sure you have that temper of yours under control?"

"Look, I need to clear something's up with you. Please, hear me out."

Sam debated leaving him outside, but then she remembered sitting beside him, watching his sleeping face. Sam face palmed herself. Why did he of all people have to be the one to get through to her? She sighed and opened the door.

"I want answers."

* * *

Danny stared at her body, at the tiny shorts she had thrown on and nearly groaned. Her sweater covered her entire torso, but clung onto her thin figure. He quickly averted his eyes.

"I know you're dying to ask."

"What?" Danny stared back at her, blushing. He managed to keep his eyes on her face this time.

Sam rolled her eyes. "The bruises?" She pointed at her neck where red marks lined the delicate flesh. "You knew something was up when you approached me in class, but why did you even bother saying anything? I mean, you've never bothered talking to me before-"

They stood awkwardly in the doorway. Danny looked behind him, uncomfortable. Sam sighed.

"Okay, I'm getting ahead of myself. Just come inside." She walked away, giving him the perfect view of her ass.

_Get a hold of your hormones, Danny! It's just Sam Manson. She's more bark than bite._

But that's what he liked about her. Scolding himself, Danny followed her inside, making sure to keep his thoughts, and his hands, away from the Manson girl.

"Are you planning on staring at me all day?"

"What?"

Danny concentrated on Sam's face as she shoved a plate of leftovers into the microwave. He'd been inside her home for a little more than two minutes and found himself staring at her more than he should. And in all the wrong places.

"No," he answered. She turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Uh..Yes." Wait, what was the question again?

Sam rolled her eyes and sighed, joining him at the kitchen table. "Like I was saying before, what do you want?"

_You._ Thankfully, he caught himself before saying the word aloud. "Did I scare you?"

Sam was startled by his response. His voice was soft now; his head bowed so she couldn't see his expression. She frowned. "Anyone in their right of mind wouldn't let you in their house after what you did."

He looked up, hopeful. "But you did."

"Yeah, because I'm an idiot who wants answers."

"Oh…Okay." He looked disappointed. "I have a few questions for you too."

"What do you want to know?"

"Your secrets."

Sam snorted. "What makes you think I have any secrets?"

"The way you're avoiding the subject, for one." She glared as he continued. "I don't know a lot about you other than that you're hiding something."

"And what exactly am I hiding?"

"Everything."

They were at a standstill. Sam pressed her lips together in displeasure. "Fine." She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "Go ahead."

Danny blinked, taken aback by her cooperation, although Sam wasn't about to admit just how desperate she was to learn about his past. "Your parents..." He studied her face closely, "where are they?"

"On a business trip, I guess."

"You guess?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. The last letter I got from them I threw out."

He gasped. "You mean you receive _letters_ from them?"

"After I stopped taking their calls, they sent the letters. They figured since I liked to read so much..."

Danny shook his head. "Letters though? Don't they ever stop by?"

"Unfortunately." She frowned. "They usually go on business trips together. I'm not an idiot though. I know they end up getting separate rooms."

"Why would they do that?"

She gave Danny a sarcastic look.

He blinked. "What?"

"They're not together anymore." Sam spelled it out for him. For a teenage boy, he sure was clueless.

Danny flushed in embarrassment. "But they're still married, aren't they?"

"Yeah? So?"

"So, if they're married, shouldn't they love each other?"

She almost laughed at how naive he sounded. "They _tolerate_ one another. And they can hardly manage that."

"Are they staying together for your sake?"

Sam snorted. "My father is a businessman. He can't soil the Manson reputation with a divorce." She rolled her eyes. "Nor can he risk being seen with his demonic daughter."

"Sam-"

"All my mother cares about is money," she continued. "They both came to an agreement a few years ago; to pretend to be happily married. That's when the fights stopped. Eventually, they stopped talking to each other altogether."

Danny stared at her with glazed eyes. "You witnessed your parents' fights?"

A nerve in her face twitched. She glanced over at the microwave. "Our food is probably cold by now."


	8. Chapter 7

_____Lyrics by Demi Lovato - Heart Attack_

* * *

_"You should tell Danny how you feel before it's too late," Maddie said as she offered Sam a blanket. The goth hadn't left the unconscious boy's side for hours, determined to stay awake._

_Sam examined his sleeping face carefully. "I don't think Danny would want me as a girlfriend."_

_"My son would be an idiot to turn you down." Maddie kissed Sam on the head, turning to the door. "He doesn't need much, Sam. All he needs is you."_

_She wasn't sure how to respond, because even if she did have feelings for Danny, she knew it would never work out. She could never give him what he needed most, and the thought of being alone crippled her soul until tears stained her cheeks._

_Sam cried soundlessly into the blanket. She'd never surrender her heart. Whether she wanted to or not._

* * *

_~You make me __glow_

_But I cover up won't let it __show_

_So I'm __putting my defenses up_

_Cause I don't wanna fall in love_

_If I ever did that_

_I think I'd have a heart attack~_

Sam didn't get the food out of the microwave, instead heading to the refrigerator and offering Danny a coke. She had devoted her time to twirling a reusable water bottle along the table as he fired off questions.

"Did your parents ever hurt you?"

Her mouth twitched at the word hurt. "They're just words, Danny. They can't hurt anyone." She uncapped the bottle and took a sip. "I've told you my life story, so what about you?" She stared at him curiously now, struggling to understand him.

Danny looked down at the coke can between his hands, unusually shy. "When I was young, my parents were obsessed with ghosts." He glanced up to check her expression, which was completely cool. "They were scientists trying to invent a ghost portal, but something went wrong and my dad died during an experiment."

Sam was about to reach out her hand and touch his, but stopped midway. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, pulling her hand back to her lap. Danny watched the movement, staring as if he wished she had. "Do you remember him?"

"Not really. Mostly I'm told stories of how clumsy he was."

She expected the delinquent to give her a goofy grin, but Danny was surprisingly serious. His ice blue eyes were piercing in a way she couldn't explain. "Do you think he's in Heaven?"

Danny laughed. "A goth who believes in God? That's a new one."

"I'd like to believe in God," she scolded, before looking down, "but at the same time, I don't think I can."

Danny watched as the sunlight caught onto her raven hair, creating a halo on the crown of her head. "What do you mean?"

Sam pursed her lips, which were lipstick free. Danny decided he liked her natural face better than the dark makeup she usually wore. "I'm a skeptic. It's not easy to convince me something is real unless I see it." She stopped, and Danny could practically see her train of thought take a 180. Sam leaned over the table, whispering, "Do you ever do something just because you're afraid something bad will happen if you don't?" She watched as he slowly nodded. "It feels wrong to love someone out of fear. I don't want to believe in something simply because I'm afraid of the consequences. I want to love someone because I love them."

Danny raised his eyebrows, and Sam realized she had just admitted something extremely personal. She ducked her head, embarrassed. "Or maybe I'm just crazy." She leaned back into her seat, hoping her cheeks didn't look as red as they felt.

"I know what you mean," Danny said quickly. Sam turned to him, surprised by the serious look in his eyes. Her confusion faded and she graced him with the tiniest of smiles. Danny wanted to understand what she had gone through; exactly what that smile said about her.

"I've just interrupted your story," Sam admitted with a frown. "I guess I'm not used to talking about myself."

"I'd like to know more," Danny said, leaning across the table. His hand grabbed hers as she spoke. "I'd like to know everything."

Sam's face warmed as Danny's voice got undeniably softer. He was leaning right into her as if he were waiting for a kiss. Their relationship had skipped about ten levels and she wasn't sure how to handle it. At the last moment she turned her head, staring at the table. "We were talking about you," she said, glancing up with a glare. "Just. You."

He stared down at her vibrant violet eyes and leaned back, smirking. "We were." He tapped his chin thoughtfully like he was looking for his place in a storybook. "After my father died, my mother was a mess. She vowed never to do this ghost project again, but that's when Vlad stepped in." Danny frowned.

"Who's that?" Sam asked, shocked by the violent tone Danny's voice took.

"He's a very persuasive and rich bastard." Something cracked between them. Sam was amazed to find Danny crushing the coke can in his hand. "After my mother ended the ghost project, we struggled to pay rent. We were homeless at one point." Sam gasped, though Danny didn't seem to notice or care. "Vlad swooped in offering to pay for my mother's financial problems. We had no money so she agreed. A year later, they got married."

Sam watched Danny's tense demeanor, confused. "That doesn't make sense. Your mother said they were doing experiments to help you."

"They are, but my mother is also looking into the spiritual side of a being. She thinks if she can cure the part of me that's dying, she can bring my father back."

"That's…" Sam's sentence drifted. She was the last person to call someone crazy, but she didn't know how else to put it.

Danny sighed, standing up. "Maybe not."

Sam followed Danny as he walked into her living room. He picked up a photo of Sam and her parents. "Is this real," he asked, keeping his eyes on the picture, "or are you posing for this as well?"

"I don't think it was ever real," Sam admitted, taking the photo from him and putting it face down on the table.

Danny turned, only to bump chests with Sam. They were standing close with only a sliver of space between them. He leaned down so their foreheads touched; their breath heavy between them. His hands trailed up her back, taking her shoulder length hair and brushing it forward so it lay in front of her shoulders.

Sam stayed perfectly still as her heart beat matched the speed of her racing thoughts. She knew her mind was rebelling, something her heart couldn't quite say to her. She was scared, but she couldn't seem to take her eyes off him.

Danny's hands came up to cup her cheeks. His breath fanned her face, teasing at her bangs. His eyes, usually icy, practically glowed in the dim lighting. Slowly, he leaned forward.

"We shouldn't," Sam spat before he got any closer. She was still captive to the snake, staring at his lips.

The corner of Danny's mouth formed a smirk. "Probably not."

"It won't end well," Sam continued. "I can promise you this will go up in flames."

"You're right," he agreed, yet he was still inching closer.

Her lips let out a soft whimper as one last plead, when Danny stopped. Instead of touching her mouth, his face fell onto her shoulder; his lips teasing her neck when she felt a cold spike of air touch her throat.

Sam barely had time to register the crash when Danny pulled her impossibly close, falling onto the carpet and log rolling them both across the room. A nasty wind whipped through the air as the roof of Sam's mansion was torn off by a large glowing green creature.


	9. Chapter 8

_Lyrics by Sara Bareilles - Brave_

* * *

_Even in the darkness of the capsule, Danny could still make out the impression of scratches. Claw marks invaded the tiny space he occupied. Someone had tried to break out of the spot he stood so willingly in. The sweat along his back felt cold, making him shiver._

_"You're very brave to be doing this, Daniel."_

_"Not like I had a choice."_

_"Are you mocking me boy? Perhaps we should stop altogether-"_

_"No!" He screamed, making the man stop. "I-I'm sorry. I was just…"_

_The man waited. "Well, I'll only continue if you want this."_

_"I want this."_

_"There's no turning back now, Daniel. Things will change. Can you handle it?"_

_The boy's eyes hardened at his words._

_"I can handle it."_

* * *

_~Innocence, __your history of silence_

_Won't do you any good_

_Did you think it would?_

_Let your words be anything but empty_

_Why don't you tell them the truth?_

_Say what you wanna say_

_And let the words fall out_

_Honestly, __I wanna see you be brave~_

They had a perfect view of Sam's house as they stood several feet before the monster destroying her home. She hadn't even had time to question how they ended up outside. Sam assumed she must have blacked that part out because now they were standing perfectly safe across the street. Sleek black cars had gathered around the area to evacuate the neighborhood as men in white suits went to deal with the monster. Whatever it was, the thing was at least fifty feet tall with green goo for a body. It was something straight out of a horror movie. She had heard about several people in Amity Park being attacked by ghosts, but she had believed it to be a cry for attention. News reporters would do anything for a good story and people would do anything for attention.

"Was there anything important in there?"

Sam blinked, breaking her gaze to stare at the delinquent beside her. She had temporarily forgotten he was there. Sam quickly changed her expression to one of rage. "No, there wasn't." She kicked at a rock in front of her as sirens called from the distance.

Danny kept his hands shoved in his pockets, surprised by her lack of emotion. She never ceased to amaze him when it came to emotional matters. "Are you going to call your parents?"

"The last thing I want to see is their stuck up faces."

"Great!"

Sam looked up, insulted by the cheerfulness his voice gave off. "It's nice to know you care."

Danny chuckled. "It means you need a place to stay." He turned to face her. "The Fenton Works has a ton of guest rooms. Why don't you live with me?"

Sam narrowed her eyes. "Is this some kind of joke?"

"Nope, just an offer between friends."

Sam snorted. "Yeah, I don't think so." She began walking away from her demolished home as some guy in a white suit yelled at them to leave the area.

Danny caught up with the pouting goth easily. "Why not?" He gave her a large smack-able grin. "My guess is that you don't have many friends to call on in this situation. Or family."

"My business is none of your concern. I can easily find a place to stay."

"Do you plan on living in the woods then? Because you have to be twenty-one to rent a hotel room, which you're not, and eighteen to get an apartment, which you also aren't."

She snapped, "I'm only three months away from that age, you know."

"That doesn't mean squat to the landlord."

Sam leaned toward Danny's face, furious. "Leave. Me. Alone."

"Aren't you worried to be out all alone?" His smile was driving her crazy. "Monsters are all over Amity Park. It's pretty scary"

She turned with a dark expression. "The only thing scaring me is you."

Sam's anger was beyond normal, but she knew she was just freaking out and taking out all her anger on Danny. She did have few options and what he was saying was beginning to piss her off. He was right. And that drove her insane.

Danny's voice got soft and his eyes turned icy. "...You're scared of me?"

She stared at his face, then the distance between them. She had never been scared of Danny; only the things he knew-things he shouldn't have known about her. Sam briefly touched her neck; the scars exposed to the night air. "Scared of you? You must be joking."

Danny took a deep breath. "Look, I know this isn't the ideal night for you, but you really shouldn't be out trying to find a place to live at a time like this. We'll tell my mom what happened and you can stay for as long as you want. Does that work for you?"

* * *

Sam had never been so nervous meeting a parent before. She was showing up at Maddie's doorstep with the woman's teenage son in a pair of booty shorts and a fitting sweater. Not to mention she was barefoot. Sam looked down at her toes, already missing her usual combat boots and tights. Danny had asked her earlier if she wanted him to carry her like a princess to protect her dainty feet. Sam answered with a punch to the gut, which Danny merely laughed at.

Now, standing on his front porch, she glared at him. "I'm not exactly dressed to see your mom, Danny."

He smiled wickedly, and gave her a long once over. Sam did her hardest not to feel uncomfortable. She knew he was just dying to get a reaction out of her. Finally, his ice blue eyes met hers. "Since when do you care about what others think of you?"

"I don't." But Sam did feel weird without the goth makeup or piercing. Its like Danny had stripped down everything she stood for, revealing very vulnerable territory. She crossed her arms, as if that could hold her composure together. "Let's just get this over with."

They entered the house quietly. Danny stood in the doorway to remove his shoes. A moment later, his mother was rushing to him.

"Danny!" The woman attacked her son in a giant hug. Danny rolled his eyes, but accepted her affection without resistance. "And you brought Sam." Maddie held the boy at arms distance, her hands still squeezing his shoulders.

Sam smiled. "Hello Maddie." The last time they had seen each other Danny had been lying unconscious on a hospital bed.

The woman gasped. "What happened? Your neck is-"

"It's nothing." She tried her best to divert the woman's attention. "It was sort of an accident."

"Mom, I need a favor," Danny interrupted whatever Maddie was about to argue.

"What is it?"

"Well, there was an incident at Sam's house and now her place is destroyed."

"Oh my God! Are you two alright?" She touched Danny's face, searching for injuries.

"I'm _fine_." Danny pulled her hands off his cheeks, holding them securely in his own. "But Sam's parents are away on a business trip and she needs a place to stay."

"We have plenty of space here. I'll set up the guest room." And just like that the woman was rushing up the stairs, delighted.

Sam blinked, surprised how willing this woman was to invite her into her home. Maddie had been so trusting from the very beginning. Sam wished she could do the same.

Sam looked over at Danny, who was suspiciously staring at her exposed thighs. "I'm surprised."

He brought his gaze back to her face. "That she said yes?"

"No, that you asked your mother for permission. Most delinquents would just sneak me through the window."

"You seem to know a lot about troubled boys." Danny shook his head, laughing. "But I told you already, I'm not a delinquent."

Sam didn't believe him in the slightest, but she figured that was as good an answer she was going to get. What made Danny such a bad boy when he cleaqrly wasn't?

"I had a sister, you know."

"What?" Sam turned to Danny, who was still looking at the stairs where his mother disappeared.

"She was supposed to be my older sister, but my mom had a miscarriage."

Sam looked toward the ground, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry."

"She wants a daughter." Danny smiled at Sam. "That's why she's so excited about me getting a girlfriend."

Sam pulled away from him in annoyance. "I'm not your girlfriend, Danny."

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I can change that."

And suddenly the air between them flickered. Danny reached his hand out, first to tug on a lock of raven hair then to caress Sam's cheek. She gasped, frozen again.

Danny smiled, taking in her eyes, her lips. He moved in slowly.

"Why do you hurt people?"

He stopped, meeting Sam's gaze with wide eyes. Her features were emotionless again; that earlier blush gone.

"What?"

Sam kept her gaze strong as she faced him, so close. "You get in a fight with everyone you see. I just don't understand. Is it fun to hit someone? Does it make you feel better when you see them in pain?"

Danny backed up so he could see Sam's face clearly. He wanted her to understand him, and yet he knew he could never answer her properly. "It's not what you think."

"What? That you're a coward hiding behind your strength?"

"No! Look, I-"

He stopped as Maddie came down the stairs with a fresh pair of clothes."I wore these in college." She handed them to Sam. "They should fit you fine. There's a room upstairs with a private bathroom. Would you like to see?"

"Thank you," Sam said, holding the clothes to her chest. She could feel Danny's gaze burn into her back. "I'd love to see it."

She began leading the way. "Oh, one more thing." Maddie stopped at the staircase, turning to the two teens. "Vlad and I are in a room in-between you two. That means we'll know if anyone's trying to sneak into someone's room. I don't want any late night meetings, got it?" She smiled brightly at the blushing teens. "I'm too young to be a grandmother."


	10. Chapter 9

_Lyrics by Awolnation - Not Your Fault_

* * *

_"Pamela?"_

_Ten year old Sam stood still, hoping her father wouldn't notice her. He came into the kitchen and found her by the cabinets. "Samantha! Where's your mother?"_

_HI DAD._

_"I don't know," Sam said looking at the ground._

_"She didn't go out again, did she? Pamela!"_

_I'VE MISSED YOU._

_"She might be at the Sanchez house."_

_"Sanchez? Of course!" Jeremy ran out the door._

_Knowing it was hopeless, Sam ran into the bathroom and cried. She hated her dad, but she hated herself more._

_HI DAD. I'VE MISSED YOU. PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME AGAIN._

* * *

_~Baby, when I'm yellin' at you,_

_It's not your fault,_

_It's not your fault, __yeah __and _

_Baby cause I'm crazy for you,_

_It's not your fault_

_It's not your fault, yeah and,_

_Maybe I'm a little confused,_

_It's not your fault_

_It's not your fault, yeah and_

_Baby, it's a wonderful news._

_It's not your fault,_

_It's not your fault~_

"You're not trying to run away, are you?"

Sam looked up from her spot on the welcome mat to find a delinquent grinning at her. She was in the process of tying one of Maddie's shoes onto her foot. It was scary how similar Sam and Danny's mother were when it came to clothing sizes.

"Of course not." She secured the knot and stood up, meeting his eyes with a scowl.

"Then where are you going?"

"That's really none of your business," Sam stated, walking around Danny to the coat closet. She pulled out a simple white scarf, wrapping it around her neck.

Danny took a step forward, dangerously close to touching her back. "My house. My business."

Sam glared. She could feel his body pressed up against her. "I'm going out to look for the cat." She spun around quickly to avoid the proximity, keeping her eyes on the ground.

Danny blinked as Sam grabbed a jacket from the sofa. "You mean that dangerous thing that tried to scratch your face off? That doesn't seem very smart."

"Yeah, well, I've never really been known for my smart choices. Like this situation, for instance." She buttoned the jacket, reaching for the doorknob.

Danny pulled his own coat from the closet. "I'll go with you."

"I'd rather you not."

"Are you mad?" Danny accused, and Sam immediately froze. "I answered your questions, and invited you to my house. You're not in any position to be avoiding me."

Sam took a breath, allowing her fingers to slowly release the doorknob. "I'm sorry," she apologized, turning to him. "A lot has just happened in a short period of time."

Danny's eyes softened as her nervously touched the back of his neck. "Once they clear out the ghost, you're free to get your stuff. I'm sure everything's fine–"

"It's not that." Sam sighed, meeting his gaze for the first time. With disbelief, Danny realized Sam was blushing. "Are you coming or not?" She demanded with a forced glare.

Danny's confusion quickly melted into a knowing smirk. "Lead the way."

* * *

They walked along the pavement together in complete silence. It was unusually cold in Amity Park this season, and with any luck they might even get a bit of snow. Sam bit her lip when a gush of cold wind blew through her, but when she saw Danny staring she forced herself not to shiver.

Danny grinned at Sam's stubborn nature and glanced up at the cloudy sky. "So, did you talk to your parents yet?"

She let out a shaky breath. "About what?"

"Your house?" He raised an eyebrow. "They're eventually going to figure out it was destroyed."

"Right, that...I sent them a letter."

"That's it?" Danny demanded, forcing the goth to stop in her tracks. "You didn't have any direct contact with them whatsoever?"

Sam took a deep breath, trembling. "Look, I know I'm the mysterious girl and everything and you're just trying to figure me out, but you have no right to tell me what to do. My parents..." She struggled for words. "We never had a good relationship. So stop prying."

He glared at her response. "You seem to have no problem asking me questions."

"You're not exactly normal, Danny."

"Neither are you."

Sam watched Danny with serious eyes. She could feel her temperature rise for a completely different reason. His stupid teenage hormones were somehow finding Sam attractive, and it scared the hell out of her.

Danny's gaze fell from her piercing violet eyes to the scarf she had tied around her neck; the only thing hiding her scars. He had the sudden urge to rip it off.

A soft meow interrupted their staring contest.

Sam blinked. "Danny."

"What?" He prompted, slightly irritated.

Sam blushed, looking away. "Nothing. I, um...that's what I named the cat."

Danny smirked, turning Sam's embarrassment into anger. "You named a cat after me?"

"Since you guys are such _assholes_ I found the name fitting."

The blue eyed delinquent stared up at the sky, content. "And yet you can't leave either of us alone." His ice blue eyes met hers once more. "I wonder why."

Sam sighed, bending over in search for the cat. "I have a knack for saving defenseless creatures."

Danny watched Sam as began digging through bushes and plants, ignoring when she extended her butt out. "Defenseless?" He repeated. "Where did that come from?"

"Well, you're both stupid, for one." She could feel his glare through her shoulder blades. "And you seem to think you can push people away by hurting them." She glanced up at his confused expression. "Don't play dumb. You said yourself you're not really a delinquent, and yet you beat people up every chance you get." She shook her head. "I don't get it."

"What's there to get?" Danny questioned, receiving silence from the goth. "What about you?" He countered, angry for being ignored.

Her body stiffened at his words. "I told you about my family."

"There's more than that, Sam."

Sam stood up again, turning to him with a new anger. "You know what I can't understand?" She unwrapped the scarf around her neck so the bruises appeared. "You were the only person to know about these marks, and yet you didn't once accuse my parents. Aren't you wondering where they came from? Or do you just assume I'm doing it to myself?"

Danny's ring tone went off, filling the tense silence with a cheery tune. He dug his phone out of his pocket, quickly checking the screen. "Mom?"

"Danny? Thank God, are you okay?"

"Yeah?" His eyes flickered to Sam. "What's wrong?"

"Listen, is Sam with you? I need you both to come home immediately. And also…"

"Mom?"

"Vlad's home," she whispered, just before hanging up.

Danny stuffed the phone in his pocket, thinking quickly.

"Danny?" Sam asked.

"My mom wants us home right now." He began walking back the way they'd came.

"Why, what's wrong?" Sam said, struggling to catch up. "Did something happen?"

"I don't know. She didn't tell me."

Sam followed quickly behind, unsure of what to say. Danny's face had gone pale and his body was in that tense position she remembered from the first time she encountered him. Something else must have happened to provoke such a reaction.

"Hey, Danny…" She reached out a gloved hand to grab Danny's arm. Danny turned and before she knew what was happening he had her back to him, holding her outstretched hand in-between her shoulder blades the way a cop might suppress a criminal.

She gasped, unable to expression the pain. Danny immediately released her at the sound.

"I…I'm sorry, Sam," Danny admitted in horror. "Are you okay?" He extended his hand again. Sam jumped back as if he were approaching her with fire.

His face froze. They stood in the bitter cold, and yet neither of them moved a muscle. "I'm so sorry, Sam. Please, don't…" She flinched as he took a step forward. "Say something. Anything."

Sam felt small at the moment, like her right to speak had been taken away from her. She refused to meet his eyes, both fear and embarrassment winning over her. "It's…It's not your fault," she murmured.

"What do you–"

"Your mom's looking for us, right?" She forced herself to meet his gaze. "We better go."

* * *

"Thank God you two are alright," Maddie said, hugging her son at the door. "But you're freezing. Are you sure you wore enough layers?" She patted him down, attempting to warm his muscles.

Danny sighed. "I'm fine, Mom."

"Is something wrong?" Sam asked, taking off the extra layers.

Maddie turned to the goth now, her usually warm expression frozen. "Your parents have been trying to get a hold of you all day, Sam. They thought you were in your house when the ghost attacked."

She ignored the news about her parents, hoping Danny would too. "My house? How do you know about that?"

"It's all over the news. The ghost has been causing so much havoc that the entire town has been affected. That's one of the reasons why it's freezing outside. And school's been canceled, so I don't want anyone stepping foot outside this house until we're safe, understand?"

"Yes."

Maddie went for her jacket, pulling it on. "Vlad and I need to head over to headquarters. We might have something that will help. And Sam." Maddie walked over to the goth, staring her straight in the eyes. "If anything shall happen while I'm gone, you know what to do."

Sam nodded as Maddie made her way out the door. The sound of it closing behind her was like the end of an argument. They were both trapped in a house that suddenly felt too small.

"I didn't mean to hurt you."

Sam glanced back at Danny, who stood motionless against the wall. He raked a hand through his hair nervously, staring down at the hard wood floor.

Sam couldn't bring herself to comfort him. She crossed her arms, looking away. "Maybe now isn't the best time–"

"You're scared of me now, aren't you?" His tone had gone from soft to threatening. "You really thought I was going to do something."

Sam's eyes burned with unshed tears. "You're right. I was scared, but you haven't exactly made this easy for me. You've hurt several people before without purpose. So what's stopping you from hitting me?"

"I thought you weren't afraid of a little pain. That cat scratched you up and you still came back for him."

"That was completely different, Danny."

"How?" He demanded, taking a step toward her. "Is it because he's defenseless? Because he keeps pushing you away? You said we were alike. So why can't you forgive me?"

"Why does it matter what I think? We're not even friends."

Danny stopped. The entire atmosphere had gone still between them. "You're right," the boy said, staring at her. "We aren't friends."

Without notice, Danny took Sam's face and crushed her lips to his. She froze, trying to make sense of the moment, as his tongue glided along her unyielding lips. His sudden aggression scared her to death as Sam began shoving him away with her hands. She pushed him off with great strength, her hands shaking.

Danny let out gulps of air. "Do you really hate me, Sam?" He asked, looking hurt for some reason.

Sam's cheeks burned, her heart racing, her breathing heavy. He _was_ a bad guy. Only someone truly terrible would force her into something she didn't want, so why did his face look desperate, like he was longing for her approval?

She held her hands up in an attempt to shield her blushing face. "I don't know what to think," Sam mumbled just as Danny blacked out.


	11. Chapter 10

_Lyrics by The All American Rejects – I wanna_

* * *

_His hands were red with blood. Clenching his hands in fists, he looked down at the body beneath him. Had he done this? Memories swarmed in his mind as he fought the strange sensations down his spine. His muscles were sore as if he had just done something exhausting._

_His mother walked in, and he turned to face her. The woman stopped, dropping a handful of grocery bags, screaming at the sight of her nine year old son standing above his father's dead body._

* * *

_~I wanna I wanna I wanna touch you_  
_ You wanna touch me too_  
_ Everyday but all I have is time_  
_ Our loves the perfect crime_

_ I wanna I wanna I wanna touch you_  
_ You wanna touch me too_  
_ Every way and when they set me free_  
_ Just put your hands on me~_

He woke up to the sound of scribbling. It was a nice change from the insistent beeping from the heart monitor beside him. Damn it, Danny cursed, knowing full well he had passed out again. His last memories with Sam swarmed his head. He may have dreamt it, but had she been crying?

With blurry eyes Danny blinked, not knowing what to expect. The room was just as blindingly white as he remembered, but what he found was Sam, undeniably beautiful without the harsh goth makeup. She sat beside him on a stool, slightly hunched over a notepad on her lap.

He didn't want to say anything. There was something honest about Sam's face that she didn't usually show. Her guard was down and walls had crumbled around her. He felt like he was seeing the real Sam Manson for the first time.

Sam looked up, freezing when she saw his eyes on her. Her cheeks turned a bright red. "You're awake."

"You're here."

"Yeah, well, I knew something had to have been wrong with you earlier. You were desperate enough to kiss me." Sam played it off with an easy laugh.

Danny reached out his hand, cupping her cheek. She froze at the sudden contact, not sure what to say. "What's so funny about that?"

Sam swallowed, looking at the bed sheets. "Your mom and step dad are still out. They're really worried about you."

Danny groaned. "You told my mom."

"Of course I did. She really cares about you."

"It's a little over bearing at times," Danny mumbled, grabbing the glass of water Sam had placed on the side table.

"You should be grateful."

"Hmm?"

"To have someone care about you," Sam glared at him. "Not everyone gets that, you know. Some of us have to survive on our own."

Danny put down the cup, curious now. "How long are your parents usually gone for?"

"Long enough."

"Sam..."

She shook her head. "It's better this way. If they have the decency to leave their child this much, I don't want to remember them."

Danny reached out his hand and caught Sam's chin. She stood frozen as he brushed his thumb against her lip. "So that's why you run away."

She yanked herself out of his grasp. "And what's your excuse?" She glared. "I _hate_ bullies. Do you have any idea what its like to be the victim?" Danny was quiet as Sam continued. "Of course you don't. You've always been the superior. But that moment when someone in the family asks about your parents is. You feel helpless, and embarrassed that you even have to think of how to respond. The forced smiles, the fake happiness. To be hurt by the person you love the most." She could feel anger coming out in the form of tears. Sam bit her lip, looking down to try to hide her face. She made a promise not to cry in front of people a long time ago, and she wasn't going to start now.

"Person?" Danny questioned, pulling her away from her emotions. "Not people?"

Sam felt her body shaking with anger. "You want to get to know me? Because I can guarantee I'm too messed up for any kind of relationship. So just give up."

Danny smiled though, and he suddenly felt distant. "I think you have that backwards."

She backed away, confused, but decided to change the subject. "I've noticed that you tend to get all crazy just before you black out. Is that a side effect of your condition?"

Danny blinked. "…I don't know. I've never really paid attention before."

Sam looked down and said, "Maybe I can help you."

"What made you change your mind?"

She didn't turn to face him. Danny smiled. "I get it. The whole "lost puppy" thing really gets to you, huh?" When Sam didn't answer Danny's gaze fell to her lap. "What's that?"

Sam looked down and blushed. "It's just a sketchbook." She quickly closed the book, holding it close to her. "You're usually out for a while, so I just…"

Danny sighed. "It must be boring having to wait for me."

"No, it's actually peaceful." Danny looked up, startled by her response. Sam had a surprisingly soft smile on her face. "And I think I like the quiet Danny better."

"Danny!" Maddie's mother rushed into the room, hugging her son. "Thank you, Sam. Thank you."

"This entire town has gone mad!" Vlad spoke from the doorway, shrugging off a wet coat. His eyes zoomed in on Sam and he glared. "Who is this?"

"Vlad, you remember Sam. Danny's friend?"

"Yes, but what is she doing _here_?"

"Well, she needs a place to stay and I need someone to look after Danny." She looked at him with stern eyes. "It's fine."

The man's cold eyes swooped over to the boy. Sam could feel the familiarity of that stare and the silent "don't you dare" coming from the man's eyes. "I think I'd like a moment with Daniel."

Even with the silent threat Danny smiled, urging Sam out.

The door sealed behind both woman. Sam stared at the barrier between her and Danny. When he was unconscious, it had just been him and her, and even though he couldn't remember anything, Sam was able to relive past experiences. It had to be a horrible view of therapy, but she had never been able to share the pain of something lost in her childhood other than with Danny.

"Sam." Maddie gave the goth a gentle smile. "Why don't you help me fix up some dinner for Danny?

* * *

Downstairs, both women stood in the kitchen with a variety of food in front of them. Maddie smiled apologetically at Sam. "I hope you don't mind, but I usually prepare Danny's favorites whenever he wakes up."

"I don't mind at all. Actually, I'm relieved there's something I can do to help him."

Maddie pulled bread from the cabinet, glancing back at Sam. "What makes you think you're not a help to him now?"

Sam sighed, staring down at the counter-top. "I just sit there. Danny passes out and all I can do is watch." Sam was always helping the needy, and not being able to do anything made her feel anxious and frustrated. "The least I can do is make him a sandwich."

"You don't owe Danny anything, Sam. Frankly speaking, Danny hates receiving sympathy from others. The best thing you can do for him is offer your friendship, which you've done beautifully."

Sam blinked, taking in Maddie's kind words. She pulled out two slices of bread. "I don't know anything about his diet," Sam confessed.

Maddie laughed. "Danny's quite typical when it comes to food. Burgers and fries are his favorite, but I usually make a steak or grill some chicken for him." She watched as Sam made a face. "Is something wrong?"

"No, its just I'm a vegetarian so I'm not used to preparing meat."

"I'll be happy to show you."

As the two worked, something else bothered Sam. "I'm curious about Danny's condition," she said, cutting up some tomatoes. "Are there any factors that lead to him passing out? Or side effects from the treatment?"

Maddie looked up from her arrangement of finger sandwiches. "I'm sure you've noticed by now that Danny doesn't have the best reputation. Aggression appears to be a major side effect in Danny's case." She stuck a toothpick through both slices of bread. "I've considered home schooling several times, but I already fear I'm depriving him of relationships. Danny needs to be able to control his behavior around others."

So that's why he beats people up, Sam realized, but it didn't explain why he looked so happy doing it.

"I don't think he's going to stop soon," Sam answered glumly.

Maddie sighed. "We've tried everything. A therapist, a stress ball. This is one of the reasons why I told you about Danny's condition. I was hoping you could help him be more gentle."

"Me? Gentle?" Sam could hardly put those words in the same sentence. When did she come across that way?

Maddie smiled. "You're much kinder than you let others believe, Samantha."

Sam blushed, embarrassed. "Is it really worth letting Danny beat up the student body though?"

Maddie sighed. "We all have to take risks in science. Danny's always managed to hold back his aggression to some degree. If he gets out of control, we've designed a chip that will instantly put him out for two hours." Maddie stared at Sam's suspicion. "I know this seems rather selfish, but please understand I don't mean anyone harm. If Danny were a major threat I would not allow for him to leave. I just want my son to have a life, something close to normal. And he must control his attitude now if he's going to live comfortably in the future."

"I understand," Sam said, although she was beginning to wonder how far Danny could go before he was classified as insane.

* * *

As she got ready for bed, her neck started hurting again. All her daily pills were still in the bathroom of her house-the one that ghost destroyed. Her head swam as she made her way across the room to the bed.

There was a knock on the door. "Sam?"

She was sitting on the bed when Danny walked in. "Didn't your mom ban you from my room?"

"She said she didn't want any late night meetings. It's morning."

Sam rolled her eyes. "I doubt midnight is an exception." But she was too tired to shoo him off. Sam crossed her legs Indian style, ignoring the swaying walls. "Danny, listen. Do you ever think you could do something else besides hurt people?"

He blinked, closing the door softly behind him. He leaned back against the doorway, perplexed. "What do you mean?"

"People have different ways to express themselves. If you can't say something you can draw or write it. Who knows. Maybe you'd be drafted for the Green Bay Packers."

"I get it." Danny smirked, taking a seat beside her on the bed. "You're trying to get me to use my fighting energy for something else."

Sam nodded, knowing she'd been caught. Danny casually picked at a piece of lint on the bed-sheet, raising it to his mouth so he could blow it away.

"Thanks for the suggestions, but I don't think it's possible."

"You don't know that!" Sam growled, glaring at the boy beside her. "For all you know, this could be the answer-"

Danny jumped so he was sitting right next to Sam; a hand clamped to her mouth. "My parents will hear you," he whispered in her ear.

Sam blushed, pulling away from him, but the bed stopped behind her, keeping him dangerously close. "Good. Maybe you'll actually get caught for harassing me."

"Sam."

She blinked, taking in Danny's serious expression. Sam swallowed, pulling her knees up to her chest like a barrier. "Yeah?"

"I like you," he admitted, without any hint of sarcasm. "And I know you know this. I also know you won't date someone like me."

Sam bit her lip. "It's not because of your condition, Danny. I'ts the fact that you seem to think hurting people is okay. I'm against senseless violence, no matter who or what it is."

Danny smiled, leaning forward. Sam opened her mouth to protest, but Danny stopped inches away from her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I know," he whispered to her red face. "I'm guessing this kindness has a story behind it, and I'm willing to bet your parents are a big part of it." Sam froze at the word parents. "So when you're willing to tell me about it, I'll be happy to listen."

"Don't psychoanalyze me," Sam grumbled. She swallowed, looking down at her bare feet. Danny was certainly strange. He hurt people, but it wasn't for power or pride. She got the feeling he was more scared of others around him, so he acted out before they could hurt him.

She stared at those blue eyes. Before she could think Sam leaned over, grabbing Danny's cheeks. He whispered her name softly as she pulled his head down slightly to kiss his forehead.

"You don't have to be afraid of people, Danny."

He blinked. "What are you-"

"I know there's something that scares you, no matter how much of a tough guy you try to be. So whatever it is, I'll be there."

Danny laughed. "Who's psychoanalyzing who now?" She smacked the back of his head lightly. Then Sam brushed her fingers through his dark hair. It was surprisingly soft.

"...Sam?"

She blushed, realizing what she was doing. Danny had a blush of his own, but a smirk accompanied it. "Having fun there?"

"Don't act so cocky." She shoved his shoulder, crossing her arms. "You better go now before your mom walks in and gets the wrong idea."

"We could get naked under the covers to really sell it." He winked.

"Out," Sam ordered, kicking Danny out of the bedroom. She locked the door behind her and lay under foreign bed covers, trying to wipe the irritating smile off her face.


	12. Chapter 11

___Lyrics by The Fray - Never Say Never_

* * *

___He had never been so hungry in his life. After his father's passing, his mother was officially broke as they huddled together in some alleyway downtown._

___They needed food, but what could they possibly eat? His eyes lingered on a stray dog that happened to cross their path, wondering if he possibly could._

* * *

___~Some things we don't talk about_  
_Rather do without_  
_And just hold the smile_  
_Falling in and out of love_  
_Same damn problem_  
_Together all the while~_

Sam was in the kitchen eating a bowl of stale cereal when Danny decided to come up beside her and lightly kiss her cheek. She flung her spoon in the air in surprise. Danny caught the utensil mid-air, receiving a scowl from the goth when he handed it back. "Do you have a problem with personal space?" she demanded, grabbing the spoon in annoyance.

"It's a thank you," Danny stated, grabbing the box of cereal and pouring his own bowl.

Sam raised an eyebrow. "Thank you?"

Danny took a seat across from her, running his hand through obvious bed head. "For yesterday. My mom told me you prepared my dinner. I'm just returning the favor."

Where on earth did he think a kiss was equivalent to her cooking? Danny certainly was full of himself. And the way he acted-like it wasn't a big deal. Sam glared, trying to cover up her embarrassment. "I was just helping your mom out," she grumbled.

"Aw, you had no problem telling me last night that you cared about me," Danny cooed. "Why the cold shoulder now?"

Sam sent Danny a nasty glare when Maddie walked in. "Danny! Don't you think you could dress a little more appropriate in front of Sam?"

He blinked, looking down at his outfit. He was walking around in his boxers and a plain gray tank that clung onto developed muscles, but Sam wasn't even going to go there. She nonchalantly took another spoonful of cereal when Danny smirked at her.

"Sorry, I'm not used to having company around." He noted the tight purple sweat shirt Sam wore and tried not to get turned on. "Where are you going?"

"I usually like to take a morning jog around this time," she said, getting up to quickly wash her bowl.

Danny cheerfully nodded. "I'll join you."

"I'd rather you not."

Maddie popped into the conversation, standing between the two teens. "Actually, Sam, I think this would be a good opportunity for Danny to get some fresh air. Plus, the Guys in White are still dealing with the ghost matter. I think I'd prefer it if you didn't go alone."

Sam turned to Danny, annoyed at his victory grin. "Can you keep up?"

He sent her a challenging smirk. "I think you'd be surprised at what I can do."

* * *

Two blocks into the jog and Danny was gasping for air. They had already taken two breaks, in which Danny looked as though he were going to hyperventilate for hours. Sam crossed her arms on the sidewalk, annoyed.

"You said you could keep up!"

"You're running way too much."

"That wasn't even half a mile!" Sam grumbled. "Jeez, how can you be so toned and not have any stamina?"

Danny glanced up at her from his hunched over hands-on-knees position. "Did you just imply that I'm hot?"

"I said you were _fit_. Don't let it get to your head." She offered her water bottle to him, seeing as Danny had devoured his drink after the first block.

Danny gulped down the water and then collapsed onto the grass. Sam took a seat beside him, crossing her legs. "You know, I'm still curious." He looked up at her. "Why you approached me in the first place."

A slight breeze came between them, ruffling the grass beneath them. Sam sighed when Danny merely watched her from the ground. "You're really frustrating, you know. You may have moved here back in grade school, but you never bothered to talk to me until last month. And you somehow knew I had bruises on my neck." She blinked. "Is that why you spoke to me? Because you pitied me?"

Danny sat up beside her, looking out into the street. "You deserve answers." Danny sighed, brushing a hand through his jet black hair. "I just don't know where to start."

"The beginning is usually the best bet."

Danny laughed at Sam's remark, staring at the clear sky. "I just wish you wouldn't hate me after this."

"Hate you?" Sam blinked. "Why would I-"

"Danny?"

Both teens looked up to see Tucker appearing down the road. "I haven't seen you in a while. Oh, hey Sam."

She felt a little awkward that he addressed her so casually, but decided it was best. "Hey again," she answered back.

Danny looked between the two. "You know each other?"

"Kind of." Tucker smiled, hitting Danny on the back of the head. "Thanks for texting me that you were awake, douche."

Danny laughed. "Stop acting like such a girl." He relaxed into a more comfortable position. "So what's up?"

Tucker looked at Danny then Sam then back again. "I kind of wanted to talk to you about some stuff."

"I can hear you, you know," Sam stated, as if she was supposed to pretend that she wasn't welcome.

"It's okay." Danny grinned at Sam. "She already knows, Tucker."

He raised his eyebrows. "Everything? Even Valerie?"

"Valerie?" Sam's eyes narrowed. She remembered that name after they sent her to a mental hospital.

Danny glared at Tucker. "Not that."

"Oops."

Danny stood up, sighing. "I guess I owe you an apology." He glanced down at Sam, who was still sitting cross-legged on the grass. "Tell my mom I went out with Tucker, okay?"

Sam glared as the two boys walked away. She'd have to do some research about this Valerie girl.

* * *

Sam ended up running all the way to the public library. She ignored the glares she received from the librarian over her heavy breathing, trying to calm her racing heart. She sat herself in-front of a computer and began researching.

She started by typing in Valerie Grey into the search engine but several people popped up. Sam then added Casper High and only a few articles appeared. She clicked the first link. The article was dated four years ago.

_Tragic news hits Amity Park when high school freshman Valerie Grey was admitted into Wisconsin's Mental Institute for strange behavior. Her friends and family claimed she had been acting different for a while, before turning aggressive and violent. She had also been claiming surreal encounters with a white haired monster. No one knows for certain whether this man is to blame for her outrageous behavior or if Miss Grey made the whole thing up. Casper High students had an after school activity in her honor..._

Sam clicked on a photo of Valerie, confused. What did Danny have to do with her? Maybe she was his past girlfriend, she thought bitterly. Danny's face had gone pale when Tucker brought up the subject and he immediately left her. Sam sighed. He must have cared about her a lot.

So Danny was suffering from a broken heart, Sam figured. Valerie must be partly to blame for why Danny was always on edge. For some reason, she felt as though Danny would never be able to open up to her unless this Valerie business was taken care of.

Sam shut down her computer, determined to get an answer, not seeing the pair of eyes across the room that had been staring at her monitor the whole time.

* * *

"I said I was sorry!" Tucker squeaked as Danny smacked the back of his head. "How was I supposed to know she didn't know about Valerie?"

"There are certain things I don't tell others."

"You said she knows!"

"_Not_ everything."

Tucker took the beating, even though it was more of a bitch slap in his case, and wrapped up his injured pride. "So let me get this straight. She knows about your "condition" but she doesn't know what you are."

Danny nodded, staring at the asphalt. "I don't want her to know about that. Ever."

Tucker glanced back at his buddy. "Are you guys close now?"

Danny shrugged. "I wouldn't really say that." But regardless of his words, a deep blush was beginning to form across his cheeks.

"Dude, take it easy. I'm happy for you. I thought you'd given up on girls for life!" He laughed. "Although Sam Manson was the last person I expected you to be attracted to."

Danny nodded. "Me too." He stared back at the area he left her, and whispered, "Do you think I'll hurt her?"

"I think you're a lot more careful now than freshman year." He watched his friend with consideration. "That wasn't your fault, you know."

Danny shut his eyes as the memories returned. "She kept saying it was."

Tucker watched as his face twisted in guilt. "You know what I think? You need to do something nice for Sam."

Danny blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, from the looks of it you really annoy her. You should have seen your faces when you were lying on the grass." Tucker laughed. "I have to go to the library anyway, so I'll catch you later."

Something nice? Danny contemplated, snatching Tucker's red beret. The techno geek whined in response as Danny held the cap over his face like a mask, smiling behind it. "I suppose it's time for Phantom to make an appearance."


	13. Chapter 12

_Lyrics by Neon Trees - Animal_

* * *

_Sam stared at the drawings around her. Her second grade class had all drawn pictures of their family. They were all the same. Stick figures with huge smiles standing in a straight line. Behind them was a house, and below them the grass with the sun smiling down on them._

_"Samantha," Mrs. Douglass patted the girl's back softly. "Why don't you show the class your family picture?"_

_Timidly, Sam displayed a drawing of a little girl standing alone. There was no sun, no grass, no smiles._

_Mrs. Douglass tried to calm the yelling children as Sam's classmates accused her of not following the rules._

_Sam frowned. "I don't want to play this game anymore," Is what she screamed as she threw the drawing and ran out of the room._

* * *

_~I do it every time_

_You're killing me now_

_And I won't be denied by you_

_The animal inside of you_

_Oh oh_

_I want some more_

_Oh oh_

_What are you waiting for?_

_Take a bite of my heart tonight~_

By the time Sam returned to Fenton Works the sun was setting and she was drenched in sweat. Not only had she just sprinted the way back, but the Guys in White had interrogated her outside the library for a good hour before deciding she was "non-threatening". The goth rolled her eyes and headed upstairs to take a long, needed shower.

Maddie had also called to check in with her. Sam admitted that she had gone to the library and would probably be there for a while. As for Danny, she told her he was chatting with Tucker.

She must have sounded convincing because the woman accepted her words easily. The last thing Sam wanted to tell her was that she had no idea where Danny was. Sam groaned at the thought. When did she become this boy's babysitter?

Sam entered the private bathroom attached to her room and submerged herself in all kinds of shampoos and conditioners. She would have preferred her all natural beauty products, but Sam knew it wasn't the time to be choosey. She was grateful to Maddie for taking her in. Sam would just have to live without her belongings for a little longer.

She exited the bath, throwing on some clothes Maddie used to wear back in the day. Then she left the bathroom combing through her wet hair only to stop.

The hair products she had just been missing were set neatly on her nightstand.

Sam looked back at the bathroom, confused. Was this some kind of joke? She walked forward only to find more of her stuff scattered all over the room. Her bed covers, books, IPod. Sam picked up the device, speechless. She assumed most of her stuff had been destroyed during the ghost attack, but everything was accounted for.

A cold chill passed through her and Sam shivered. Everything was accounted for, except her pill bottles.

* * *

"I know you did it."

Danny looked up from his zombie killing video game to smile at Sam. "I thought you were against late night meetings."

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms beside the computer screen. "Don't play dumb. I know you went back to my house and brought all my stuff here." She showed him the black cat comb in her hand.

"That's great Sam," Danny said as he continued murdering zombies, "but I really don't know what you're talking about." He hadn't looked away from the screen once, making pained faces whenever a zombie managed to hit him.

"Who else would bring my stuff here?"

"Maybe an admirer?"

Sam growled, stomping out of his bedroom. Only when she left did Danny smile, glancing at the space she had just occupied, before returning to his game.

* * *

Sam stood behind the yellow do not cross tape and knew her life was officially over.

Not only was her home destroyed, but the Guys in White were all over the place searching for evidence. She supposed she was lucky Danny had grabbed her stuff when he did, though she still had no idea how he managed to pull it off.

Sam sighed, turning in the opposite direction. School was scheduled to start first thing Monday morning. She wondered how Danny would approach her in class now. Would he be friendly like he was at home? Or that constant itch she just couldn't scratch?

Down the road she spotted Tucker fidgeting with some sort of device. She ran over, uncertain how to greet him.

"Uh hey. Tucker?"

He looked up from his PDA and smiled. "Hey Sam. What's up?"

Tucker was such a casual, easy going guy. Sam's previous worries dissipated like fog. "I was wondering if you could tell me about Valerie."

He stiffened. "Uh, um...What did Danny tell you?"

"I haven't asked him."

"You probably should. He'll know more than me, after all."

"But Danny was close to Valerie, right? I don't want to make him uncomfortable and bring up unpleasant memories." She looked to the ground. Sam was the first person to respect anyone's privacy. Danny was her exception though.

"You read that article about her, huh?" Tucker asked pulling her away from negative experiences.

"How did you-"

"I saw you at the library yesterday after I spoke with Danny." He stuffed his PDA in his pocket. "Look, what happened to Val was all Phantom."

Sam raised an eyebrow. "What's a phantom?"

"That's what they call the ghost boy."

She blinked. "I didn't realize they had names." Or that anyone would know a ghost well enough to learn its name. Sam glanced at Tucker suspiciously.

He picked up his beret and adjusted it on his head. "Yeah, well, if you want to know about Valerie you should ask Phantom." There was a serious look in his eyes. "He's the one responsible for her insanity, after all."

"And this ghost, Phantom...How do you know his name?"

"I didn't." He went back to his PDA to type something in. "That's what Valerie kept saying after..."

Sam watched as Tucker's eyebrows pulled together. She sighed. "Sorry, I don't mean to pry. I'm just trying to help Danny."

"Help him?"

Sam looked around at the bystanders and grabbed Tucker's forearm. "C'mon." She pulled him towards the back of a brick building and away to a spare bench.

"What exactly do you know about Danny?" Tucker asked, pulling a piece of gum out from his pocket.

"I know about his condition. That's the reason he's violent, right? It's a side effect of the treatment his mother is giving him."

"And Danny told you all this?"

"No," Sam admitted, slightly embarrassed. "I sort of went to his house and found out by accident."

"Wow," Tucker said, surprised. He sat hunched over, resting his forearms on his knees. "I didn't think you liked Danny that much."

"I don't," Sam said quickly. She closed her eyes and tried not to sound defensive. "Everyone has a reason to be angry. When Danny fights, he looks happy, like he's getting rid of some sort of unsettling feeling. People don't just hit people with a smile on their face."

"And you think this has something to do with Valerie?"

"I think Danny may have liked Valerie, and when she went insane that made him feel horrible. He might be using his aggressive behavior as an excuse to relieve some of his anger and sadness." She glanced down at Tucker. "But even with all the strength he has, Danny's scared."

"Scared?"

"Danny walks around like he's hiding something. Someone who has nothing to fear wouldn't be as cautious as Danny."

Tucker pushed his Ray-ban glasses up the bridge of his nose. "And you don't think his fear as anything to do with his condition? Maybe he's just afraid people will find out something's wrong with him."

"Maybe you're right," Sam whispered, "but it doesn't explain why he acts that way around me."

Tucker stared down at the pavement below them. "You'd make a great detective," he stated, "with all the research you've collected. Or maybe even a therapist in Danny's case."

Sam's hands clenched at the word. She took a deep breath, looking to the side. "You're not going to tell me anything, are you?"

"No." He stuffed his PDA in his pocket, standing. "I'm Danny's friend first and foremost. I'll always have his back." Suddenly Tucker's happy composure slipped and he was frowning. "I don't want to mess this up for him, Sam. After Valerie left Danny was never the same. If you keep prying into his past, it'll only end in disaster, so do everyone a favor and keep your distance." He stood up from the bench with his back to her. "I'd hate for Danny to lose the girl he's falling for."

He didn't have to tell her twice to keep Danny at arms length, but something about the way Tucker said it, like she wasn't allowed to understand Danny ticked her off. Sam stood up, yelling at the boy's back. "Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?" she demanded. "I'm not scared of him, Tucker."

Tucker stopped and sighed, glancing over his shoulder. "But you will be."


End file.
